SENET vs Antamedia vs ggLeap: gaming cafe software compared

If you're setting up or upgrading a gaming cafe, three names come up constantly: SENET, Antamedia, and ggLeap. All three handle the core job of running a commercial gaming venue: session billing, PC control, and customer management. They take different approaches, target different types of operators, and charge differently.

This article breaks down what each one actually does, where each one fits best, and one gap they all share.

SENET

SENET, made by ENESTECH, is a cloud-based venue management platform used in over 1,000 venues across 72 countries. The software runs on AWS and Azure infrastructure, which means your management dashboard is accessible from any browser, not just from a PC inside the cafe.

What it does well

SENET handles everything you expect from cafe management software: time-based billing, zone pricing (charge more for premium seats), point-of-sale for food and drinks, financial reporting, and real-time PC monitoring. It integrates with Steam, Epic Games, Battle.net, Riot Games, and Origin for launcher session management.

The most notable feature for cafe operators concerned about system integrity is the SENET Boot diskless system. Client PCs boot from a network image rather than a local disk. Any changes a customer makes during their session, including uninstalling games, are discarded when the machine restarts. It is the same concept as Deep Freeze but built into the platform's architecture.

The tradeoff

The diskless system shares Deep Freeze's core limitation: game updates require pushing a new image to all machines. For cafes running CS2, Valorant, or Fortnite where patches ship every week or two, that maintenance cycle adds up. During a session, the diskless system does not prevent a customer from uninstalling a game. The game is gone until the next reboot.

Pricing

SENET starts at $75 per month for up to 20 PCs on a subscription model. A free trial is available. There is no one-time license option.

Antamedia

Antamedia Internet Cafe Software has been in this market since the late 1990s, making it one of the oldest cafe management platforms still actively developed. It is Windows-based client/server software, installed and managed locally rather than through a cloud dashboard.

What it does well

Antamedia covers billing, user accounts, prepaid vouchers, time limits, and one-time password access for walk-in customers. Its protection features focus on locking down the Windows interface: hiding drives and Control Panel, disabling Registry access, blocking the Run command, and preventing boot into safe mode. This makes it harder for customers to reach Windows settings or system tools they shouldn't touch.

The pricing model appeals to operators who dislike recurring fees. Licenses are one-time purchases ranging from $149 to $799 depending on the number of client PCs, with free support included.

The tradeoff

Antamedia's protection operates at the interface level. It hides the pathways customers would normally use to access restricted areas. A customer who finds another route, such as opening a game launcher and uninstalling from within it, bypasses those restrictions. Antamedia does not apply OS-level file system rules that would block the deletion itself. If a customer can reach the uninstall option, the uninstall will complete.

Pricing

One-time license. Tiers run $149 (small cafe), $249, $399, and $799 (30 client PCs plus 50 WiFi users). A free trial is available.

ggLeap

ggLeap, by ggCircuit, takes a different angle from the other two. Where SENET and Antamedia treat session management as the core job, ggLeap is built around gamification and esports. ggCircuit started in 2008 as a competition platform among US LAN center owners, and ggLeap launched in 2016 as their venue management layer.

What it does well

ggLeap covers session billing and PC management like the others, but its distinct features are the competitive and rewards layer: coin rewards, leaderboards, achievements, automated tournaments, player stat tracking from supported game APIs, and prize redemption through the POS system. For operators running esports events or targeting a competitive gaming audience, this is a meaningful differentiator.

Every ggLeap subscription includes access to ggCircuit, the automated competition platform. Universities make up a notable part of their customer base, particularly collegiate esports programs.

The tradeoff

ggLeap is the most specialized of the three. If your cafe focuses on casual gaming or has a diverse customer base rather than a dedicated esports community, the gamification layer may be more than you need. Like Antamedia, ggLeap does not include OS-level game file protection.

Pricing

$5 per PC per month on a subscription model. Cloud-based.

Side by side

The gap all three share

Session management software controls when customers can use a PC and what parts of Windows they can reach. That is its job, and all three do it well in their own way.

What none of them address is what happens when a customer opens Steam, Epic Games, or Riot Games Client and clicks Uninstall on a game. That action goes through the launcher, not through Windows Explorer or Control Panel. The Windows interface lockdown that Antamedia applies does not intercept a request made by a game launcher running under the customer's account. SENET's diskless system reverts the damage after the fact, on the next reboot, but the game is gone during the current session and for every customer who sits down before that reboot happens.

Where GamePinned fits in

GamePinned is not a replacement for any of these tools. It does one thing they don't: it blocks game folder deletion at the operating system level, in real time, for whichever accounts you specify.

When a customer tries to uninstall a protected game through any launcher or through File Explorer, Windows rejects the deletion before it reaches the disk. The game stays in the library. No reboot required. No restore cycle. The next customer sits down and the game is there.

GamePinned runs alongside SENET, Antamedia, and ggLeap without conflicts. If you are already using one of them for billing and session management, GamePinned adds the file system protection layer that your existing software doesn't cover.

Which setup makes sense for your cafe

If you want a cloud dashboard with a diskless/imaging approach to system stability, SENET is the most complete all-in-one option. The reboot-to-restore approach handles game uninstalls eventually, though not during the session it happens.

If you prefer a one-time purchase and don't mind managing software locally, Antamedia's pricing model is straightforward and its Windows lockdown features are thorough.

If your cafe leans into competitive gaming and you want leaderboards, tournaments, and rewards built into the customer experience, ggLeap's gamification layer is unique.

If game deletion during a session is your primary concern, add GamePinned to whichever platform you choose. The two layers handle different problems and run alongside each other.